Achraf Hakimi
A blistering full-back who redefined his position with explosive speed and a lethal attacking threat from the flank.
Born 1998 (age 28)·Morocco international footballer·Birthday: November 4·Generation Z
Biography
Born in Madrid to Moroccan parents, Achraf Hakimi's football journey began in the youth academy of Real Madrid, a club that rarely offers a straightforward path to its own first team. His breakout came not in Spain, but on loan at Borussia Dortmund, where his raw pace and powerful overlapping runs were unleashed in the Bundesliga. This was no traditional defender; Hakimi played like a winger trapped in a right-back's body, racking up assists and goals with a startling consistency. A subsequent move to Inter Milan under Antonio Conte saw him master the wing-back role, becoming a pivotal figure in the club's 2021 Serie A title triumph. His high-profile transfer to Paris Saint-Germain cemented his status as a global star, but his most profound impact has been with Morocco. As a leader of the Atlas Lions, his cool penalty in the 2022 World Cup shootout against Spain was a historic moment, propelling an African nation to its first-ever semi-final and making him a hero on a continent.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Achraf was born in 1998, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Achraf Was Born
The biggest hits of 1998
#1 Movie
Saving Private Ryan
Best Picture
Shakespeare in Love
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
Achraf's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1998Born
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2003Started school
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2011Became a teenager
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Could drive
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2016Could vote
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Turned 21
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 28 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Serie A title with Inter Milan in 2021, playing a key role as a wing-back.
- Became the first African and Moroccan player to be named to the FIFA FIFPro World11 in 2022.
- Scored the decisive penalty to send Morocco to the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals, a first for an Arab nation.
- Held the record for the most assists by a defender in a single Bundesliga season (10) while at Borussia Dortmund.
Did You Know?
He is fluent in Spanish, Arabic, French, and English.
His mother was a cleaner and his father a street vendor when they first moved to Spain.
He played for Real Madrid's first team only 17 times before being sold, a decision the club later reportedly regretted.
He is known for his distinctive goal celebration, pointing to the sky with both index fingers.
“I carry Morocco in my heart. When I play for the national team, I play for every kid dreaming in the streets of Casablanca or Tangier.”
